1. Anything else? PERCEPTIONS What are the perceptions of lawyers?
1/18/2019
PERCEPTIONS
What are the perceptions of lawyers?
Some, surely not all words or ideas that are often shared include:
Workaholics
24/7 on demand
Adversarial
Highly competitive
Losing’s unacceptable
“Bet the Company” cases
Tough, invulnerable, invincible
Sacrifice our personal health
Wear our invincibility as a badge of honor & suffer alone
Anything else?

2. Alcoholism: 18% (2 x gen pop) High Anxiety: 19% Mental Disorders: 33%
1/18/2019
Alcoholism: 18% (2 x gen pop)
High Anxiety: 19%
Mental Disorders: 33%
Severe Depression: 3.6X more
Suicide: 2X general population
NATIONAL
LAWYER
MENTAL HEALTH STATISTICS
Unfortunately all of that comes at a price
The data is pretty overwhelming
The National Lawyer Mental Health Statistics show that us Lawyers have:
Alcoholism: 18% (double gen pop)
High Anxiety: 19%
Mental Disorders: 33%
Severe Depression: 3.6X more
Suicide: 2X general population
Whether it is one person or two times the national average…it’s too many.

3. 33% suffer from high stress 32% struggle with work life balance
1/18/2019
33% suffer from high stress
32% struggle with work life balance
36% have considered a change careers
43% experience a great deal of stress
TFB
STUDY OF
LAWYERS
Of OUR Florida Lawyers:
33% suffer from high stress
32% struggle with work life balance
36% would change careers if they could
43% experience a great deal of stress

4. 23% Mild to moderate anxiety 14% Severe anxiety
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MENTAL
HEALTH OF
LAW
STUDENTS
23% Mild to moderate anxiety
14% Severe anxiety
17% Suffer with depression
6% Serious suicidal thoughts
And, sadly, it starts early!
The MENTAL HEALTH OF LAW STUDENTS includes:
23% Mild to moderate anxiety
14% Severe anxiety
17% Suffer with depression
6% Serious suicidal thoughts

5. WHAT MAKES LAWYERS HAPPY ?
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WHAT MAKES LAWYERS HAPPY ?
(Krieger/Sheldon, Geo. Wash. L.R. 2015)
So what makes happy lawyers
Lawrence Krieger a clinical professor at FSU and Author of The George Washington Law Review “What Makes Lawyers Happy?: A data-driven Prescription to Redefine Professional Success”

6. 6200 Lawyers 140 Judges 4 States KRIEGER’S STUDY OF LAWYERS
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6200 Lawyers
140 Judges
4 States
KRIEGER’S
STUDY OF
LAWYERS
So Krieger conducted a study of 6200 lawyers, 140 judges and 4 states

7. TRADITIONAL SUCCESS - EXTERNAL
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TRADITIONAL SUCCESS - EXTERNAL
(income, status, honors, fame…)
INTERNAL SUCCESS - PERSONAL
(integrity, closeness to others,
enjoyment/meaning in work…)
DATA:
TWO
DISTINCT FORMS OF
SUCCESS & HAPPINESS

8. External success is slightly helpful for well-being
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External success is slightly helpful for well-being
Internal success is critical for well-being
VERY DIFFERENT
IMPACTS ON
LAWYER
WELL-BEING

9. REFRAME SUCCESS Success includes well-being
1/18/2019
Success includes well-being
First seek internal success, then external success
Do not displace internal success with pay, etc.
REFRAME
SUCCESS
So what does this mean?
We need to reframe our notions of and our “professional success”

10. KRIEGER’S PROFILE OF A HAPPY LAWYER
Knows and appreciates himself/herself
Seeks to improve more than accumulate
Often feels close to others
Seeks to help others, community
Finds meaning and enjoyment in work
Gives and receives support at work
Growth mindset
According to Krieger these are the attributes of a happy lawyer

11. ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING
NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical
Recommendations for Positive Change
1/18/2019
ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING
LAWYER WELL-BEING CONTRIBUTES TO ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS
If cognitive function is impaired legal professionals will be unable to do their best work
Worker well-being in the form of engagement is linked to:
Lower turnover
High client satisfaction
Higher productivity and profitability

12. ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING
1/18/2019
NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical
Recommendations for Positive Change
LAWYER WELL-BEING INFLUENCES ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM
Troubled lawyers can struggle with even minimum competence
Overall-untreated mental health issues can ruin lives and careers
ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING

13. ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING
1/18/2019
NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical
Recommendations for Positive Change
The National Task Force report defines lawyer well-being as a continuous process whereby lawyers seek to thrive in each of the following areas:
Emotional health
Occupational pursuits
Creative or intellectual endeavors
Sense of spirituality or greater purpose in life
Physical health
Social connections with others
ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING

14. TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
1/18/2019
TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Mission
Destigmatize mental illness in the legal community (lawyers and judges);
Educate employers, judges and lawyers how to identify and address mental health illness of Florida lawyers and Create “best practices” on how to address mental health issues;
Educate lawyers about the benefits of balancing personal life and career obligations;
Provide wellness programs to provide Florida lawyers with healthy strategies to deal with the pressures of their practices to enhance the mental health and wellness of Florida lawyers.

15. TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Current Goals
CLE programs on mental health issues focusing on destigmatizing mental illness, creating healthy ways to discuss mental health issues, and providing lawyers and law firms with best practices on how to address lawyers who are struggling with mental illness;
Enhanced 24-hour Helpline/Hotline to address mental health and related issues;
Create services at The Florida Bar for lawyers and judges struggling with mental health issues and increase accessibility to, and awareness of, these programs;
Creation of support/peer support groups;
Addition of member benefits focused on improving the mental health and wellness of Florida lawyers;
Discussion with law schools; the Florida Supreme Court and/or the Florida Board of Bar Examiners to discuss the effect of mental health issues on admission to The Florida Bar.
1/18/2019
TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

16. VISIT OUR WEBPAGE Florida Bar’s Mental Health & Wellness Center